Quick release, back carry, first aid kit

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates in general to portable first aid kits and, in particular, to a low profile first aid kit that is adaptable for a quick release from a carrier and can be easily stored and carried by a person. The design of the disclosed release system allows for the first aid kit to be released with one hand from a carrier with mounting capabilities. Additionally, the medical kit includes a dual purpose carrier strap that can either be wound around the first aid kit and operable to torque the kit for storage purposes when in the closed position, or used to carry the kit in the open position until it can be secured and subsequently stored.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/868,611, filed May 7, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/242,725, filed Jan. 8, 2019, which claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/614,845 filed Jan. 8,2018. The entire contents of the above applications are herebyincorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.

FIELD

The present invention relates in general to portable first aid kits and,in particular to a low profile first aid kit that is adaptable for aquick release and can be easily stored and carried by a person.

BACKGROUND

First aid kits generally contain items that are used as a means toquickly and effectively respond to accidents or injuries when away fromtraditional medical emergency facilities. Such kits are intended to beused either by the injured party or to aid someone else. These kits mustbe lightweight, portable, accessible, and must contain the necessaryequipment to treat accidents or injuries that may occur based on thesituation and environment. This is very critical for military or lawenforcement environments, where the threat of accident or injury is highand access to medical treatment is very limited.

For example, military personnel are provided with individual first aidkits (IFAK) during times of military deployment. Such kits are typicallyhoused in cloth bags or pouches and are worn on the outside of auniform. Such IFAKs are intended to increase an individual soldier'scapability to provide self-aid on the battlefield.

Current first aid kits are either carried on a belt strap, as a backpack with straps, or leg strap to allow for freedom of movement andaccess to the contents of the pouch. This often makes it difficult forthe soldier or law enforcement officer to get to the contents of thepouch when only one hand is available.

Another shortfall of the current aid kits, is that during times of highstress and rapid combat deployment, it may be inadvertently left behind,as it is one more piece of equipment that a solider or enforcementofficer must remember to attach to a uniform rather than having analternative way to carry the kit until it can be reattached.

Typical protective vests are manufactured from “soft-armor” materialssuch as Kevlar® or other “bullet proof” materials and offer a level ofprotection to the wearer sufficient to offer protection in manysituations. For the additional security required in today's military andlaw enforcement applications; however, soft armor is often insufficientagainst military munitions and shrapnel. Accordingly, many protectivevests or body armor vests contain a series of external pockets on thefront, back and sides of the vest for adding additional body armor suchas metal or ceramic plates, also known as ballistic plates or hardarmor. The plates are usually placed to cover particularly vulnerableparts of the body such as the heart, chest, and back regions, therebyproviding protection to the vital organs.

The use of kits containing a select number of products appropriate foruse in first aid conditions that attach to these plates or the exteriorof body armor vests of military personnel, law enforcement and firstresponders are known in the prior art. However, these kits are oftenbulky and are made for attachment to the front of the user, taking upvaluable space for tactical gear. Further, removal of these kitsrequires the use of both hands of the user.

As such, there is a need for a portable first-aid kit that can bemounted in a convenient location on the user and includes an easilyaccessible quick-release mechanism that allows the user access tomedical supplies with only one hand. When finished, the current devicealso allows the user a means to quickly store the kit or a convenientway to carry the kit until the user has sufficient time to re-mount thekit to their person.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a compact first aid kit that provides anindividual with the necessary lifesaving equipment to effectively treatinjuries commonly associated with combat. The innovative design of thepouch pillow release system allows for the kit to be released with onehand and mounted either vertically or horizontally to any carrier, plateor vest surface, especially the back. Placement on the back allows theuser to take advantage of unused space and prioritize individualequipment layout. Additionally, a shoulder strap allows the first aidkit to be easily carried until it is remounted to the carrier or vestsurface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of the carrier showing the first aidkit stored within the carrier.

FIG. 2 is an alternative perspective front view of the carrier showingthe first aid kit stored within the carrier and showing the other sideof the carrier and kit not visible in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective back view of the carrier showing the first aidkit stored within the carrier.

FIG. 4 is an alternative perspective back view of the carrier showingthe first aid kit stored within the carrier and showing the other sideof the carrier and kit not visible in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carrier without the first aid kit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of the first aid kit shown in theclosed and folded position with the carrier strap wrapped around it.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the first aid kit shown in the open, unfoldedposition.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first aid kit in the closed, foldedposition with the exterior surface of the bottom portion shown beneaththe cover.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first aid kit in the closed, foldedposition with the exterior surface of the top portion shown beneath thecover.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the first aid kit in the open, unfoldedposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the present invention comprises a hollow carrier10 for storing a first aid kit 20 comprising a front portion 30 and aback portion 40 connected by at least one elastic, pliable connectingmember 50 that forms a portion of opposing top and bottom walls, whichdefine a hollow interior compartment 100. Turning to FIG. 5, theelastic, pliable member 50 may be made from fabric, including Nylon, orany other type of fabric or material with similar properties. In thepreferred embodiment, the front portion 30 is substantially rigid andfurther comprises a front surface 60 intersecting two opposing sides 70that extend longitudinally along a portion of the opposing top andbottom walls and connect to the elastic members 50 forming the remainingportion of the opposing top and bottom walls of the carrier; therigidity of the front portion 30 allows the carrier to maintain itsgeneral shape. In order to provide rigidity, the front portion 30 may,for example, be made from thermoforming plastic or providing some typeof plastic or other rigid material as an insert into a pliable covering.Although not required, the present invention anticipates the frontsurface 60 being substantially concave and protruding slightly outwardin the direction opposite the hollow interior 100 of the carrier 10. Theadditional cross-sectional area provided by the protruding front surface60 of the front portion 30 of the carrier 10 allows the first aid kit 20to be easily reinserted into the carrier 10 while simultaneouslydisplacing pressure evenly across the surface of the carrier 10.Alternatively, the carrier 10 may be completely collapsible where thefront portion 30 is pliable, e.g, made from fabric or a malleable rubberor plastic.

Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, the hollow carrier 10 comprises a plurality ofmolding mounting apertures 110 in or on the back portion 40 to enhancethe scope and usefulness of the invention enabling it to be completelymodular, useable with an entire family of mounting accessories. Suchaccessories include but are not limited to: paddles, clips, belt loops,MOLLE (modular, lightweight load-carrying equipment) attachment devices(e.g. the device shown in the figures and disclosed in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/481,393), leg mounts, vest carry, harness carry,etc. As shown in FIG. 5, the two open ends or sides of the carriercontain a closure strap 120 wherein one end of the strap is attached tothe perimeter of the interior surface 125 of the front portion 30 andthe other end is removably attached to perimeter of the interior surface140 of the back portion 40. The attachment points could also be reversedwherein one end of the closure strap 120 is attached to the perimeter ofthe interior surface of the back portion 40 and the other end isremovably attached to perimeter of the interior surface of the frontportion 30. Although the preferred embodiment uses hook and loopfastening means, e.g. VELCRO®, to attach the closure strap 120 to thecarrier, other types of fastening means are contemplated, including useof snap-buttons, quick-release clips, or any other quick-releasefastener known in the art. The closure straps 120 of the carrier 10 areadapted to secure and retain the first aid kit 20 within the hollowcarrier 10.

Turning to FIGS. 6-10, the first aid kit 20 stored within the carrier 10comprises a top portion 150 and a bottom portion 160 that can be foldedagainst each other along the proximal ends 170 of each portion 150, 160.As shown in the FIGS. 6-7, and 10, the first aid kit may utilize atleast one pliable connection member 180 that attaches to each portion attheir respective proximal ends 170 and functions as a hinge to the top150 and bottom portions 160. The use of the flexible member 180 allowsthe first aid kit 20 to maintain its rectangular cross-sectional shapeby keeping the top 150 and bottom portion 160 in substantial parallelalignment when medical items and products are stored on the interiorsurface 190 of each portion 150, 160. Turning to FIGS. 7-9, each portion150, 160 further comprises a plurality of apertures 210 wherein abinding device 220, e.g. a bungee cord, is woven through the apertures210 to create a series of loops 230 on the interior surface 190 andexterior surface 200 of both portions 150, 160. These loops 230 are usedto store various emergency medical equipment. The elasticity of thebinding device 220 allows the user to quickly retrieve and store theseitems for use in emergency situations. Although the preferred embodimentuses a binding device 220 woven through apertures 210, the presentinvention also anticipates using other fastening means known in the artfor attaching equipment to either portion 150, 160, including hook andloop fasteners such as VELCRO®, snap-buttons, clips, or any otherfastening device that may be used to secure portable equipment.

Optionally, a cover 240, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, may be attachedalong the perimeter of the exterior surface 200 of the top 150 or bottomportion 160 of the carrier wherein the cover 240 creates a pocket withan opening 250 to allow access to the stored contents within the loops230 contained on the exterior surface 200 of either portion 150, 160.The cover 240 may be attached to the exterior surface 200 of eitherportion by any fastening means known in the art, including but notlimited to, stitching fibers, weaving fibers, braiding fibers, riveting,gluing, or any type of fasteners known in the prior art such as hook andloop fasteners. As an additional option, the top 150 and bottom portion160 may be made from a substantially rigid material, such asthermoformed plastic, to provide support when storing and/or removingitems from the first aid kit 20.

As shown in FIGS. 6-10, the preferred embodiment of the first aid kit 20further comprises at least one handle 260 that is attached to eitherside of the top 150 or bottom portion 160. In order to allow easy accesswith both hands, especially when the first aid kit 20 is stored on thelower back of the user, two handles 260 on opposing sides of eitherportion 150,160 of the first aid kit 20 should be used. When the firstaid kit 20 is stored within the carrier, the removably attached ends 130of the closure straps 120 (depicted in FIG. 5) on either side of thecarrier 10 are woven through the aperture 135 (identified in FIGS. 1-2)created between the handle and the side of the top 150 or bottom portion160 of the first aid kit 20 before being attached at the perimeter ofthe interior surface of the opposing front or back portion 30, 40 of thecarrier 10.

The handle(s) 260 are ideally comprised of a flexible material such asfabric and can be easily accessed by the user, even when the kit 20 isbeing stored on the back of the user. In a single motion, when the userpulls on either handle 260, the force exerted will disengage the closurestrap 120 allowing the first aid kit 20 to be pulled free from thecarrier 10.

When the first aid kit 20 is released from the carrier, the top 150 andbottom portions 160 unfold, quickly revealing the interior surface 190of both portions 150, 160 (as shown in FIG. 7) where medical equipmentis stored within the loops 230 and easily accessible.

Turning to FIGS. 7 and 10, the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention further comprises a carrier strap 270 having two ends whereinone end 280 is attached to the distal end 290 of either the top portion150 or bottom portion 160 of the first aid kit 20 and the other end isfree and further comprises a loop 300, which may be adjustable by meansknown in the art including by use of a slide adjuster. Although notrequired, it is preferred that the strap 270 is red to serve as anindicator to the wounded that the device is a medical kit designed totreat the wounded. When it comes to usage, the carrier strap 270 has adual purpose. First, the carrier strap 270 can be tightly wound aroundthe first aid kit 20 to torque the kit 20 while in the folded, closedposition (as shown in FIG. 6). This process not only minimizes thevolume the kit 20 will take up within the carrier 10, but also allowsfor easier re-insertion of the kit 20 into the carrier 10. Second, ifthe user is unable to take the time to store the kit 20 in the carrier10, he may simply use the loop 300 to carry the first aid kit 20 byquickly weaving his arm through the loop 300 to carry the kit 20 untilsuch time as the kit 20 can be re-inserted into the carrier 10.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference has been made to the preferred embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used todescribe these embodiments. However, this specific language intends nolimitation of the scope of the invention, and the invention should beconstrued to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to oneof ordinary skill in the art. The particular implementations shown anddescribed herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are notintended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. Forthe sake of brevity, conventional aspects of the method (and componentsof the individual operating components of the method) may not bedescribed in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectorsshown in the various figures presented are intended to representexemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplingsbetween the various elements. It should be noted that many alternativeor additional functional relationships, physical connections or logicalconnections might be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item orcomponent is essential to the practice of the invention unless theelement is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. Numerousmodifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilledin this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A quick-release first aid kit carrying devicecomprising: a. a carrier comprising a front portion, an opposing backportion, and two opposing side connecting members that define a hollowinterior compartment; b. a first aid kit comprising a top portion, abottom portion, and a connecting member attached to the proximal ends ofsaid portions with at least one handle attached to the side of eitherportion that is perpendicular to said proximal ends, wherein the top andbottom portions are foldable along the longitudinal axis of theconnecting member, said portions each having an interior and exteriorsurface further comprising fastening means to attach equipment to eithersurface; c. a carrier strap having one end attached to either the distalend of the top portion or bottom portion of the first aid kit and theother end is free and further comprises a loop; wherein the first aidkit is removably stored within the interior compartment of the carrier,wherein the handle allows the first aid kit to be quickly released fromthe carrier.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the front portion of thecarrier is substantially concave.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein thefront portion is substantially rigid.
 4. The device of claim 1 furthercomprising a plurality of mounting apertures on the back portion of thecarrier.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the mounting apertures areadapted to attach to a mounting accessory.
 6. The device of claim 5wherein the mounting accessory is selected from the group comprisingpaddles, clips, belt loops, MOLLE (modular, lightweight load-carryingequipment) attachment devices, leg mounts, vest carry and harness carrydevices.
 7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cover that isattached along either the bottom portion of the first aid kit or theperimeter of the exterior surface of the top portion of the first aidkit.
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the top portion or bottom portionis made from a substantially rigid material, namely thermoformed orinjection molded plastic.
 9. The device of claim 2 further comprising acover that is attached along either the bottom portion of the first aidkit or the perimeter of the exterior surface of the top portion of thefirst aid kit.
 10. The device of claim 2 wherein the top portion orbottom portion is made from a substantially rigid material, namelythermoformed or injection molded plastic.
 11. A first aid kitcomprising: a. a top portion and a bottom portion that are foldablealong the proximal ends of said portions, said portions each having aninterior and exterior surface further comprising fastening means toattach equipment to either surface, wherein the first aid kit is in aclosed position when the interior surfaces of the top and bottomportions contact each other, and wherein the first aid kit is in an openposition when the interior surfaces of the top and bottom portions areremoved from each; b. a carrier strap having one end attached to eitherthe distal end of the top portion or bottom portion of the first aid kitand the other end is free and further comprises a loop; wherein thecarrier strap is operable to bound the top portion to the bottom portionwhen the first aid kit is in a closed position; wherein the carrierstrap is operable to carry the first aid kit when the first aid kit isin an open position.